Mexican star Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez confirms homecoming fight against Britain's John Ryder on May 6; WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO super-middleweight belts all at stake in undisputed title clash at Akron Stadium in Guadalajara
Wednesday 15 March 2023 07:40, UK
Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez will defend his undisputed super-middleweight titles against British contender John Ryder in Mexico on May 6.
The Mexican star returns against Ryder, with the WBC, IBF, WBA and WBO belts on the line at Akron Stadium in Guadalajara.
Canelo defeated bitter rival Gennadiy Golovkin on points in their trilogy battle in Las Vegas in September, marking his move back to 168lbs after a surprise points defeat to Dmitry Bivol in their WBA light-heavyweight title fight last May.
Ryder is hoping to pull off a sensational upset after a four-fight winning streak propelled him into title contention, including wins over Daniel Jacobs and Zach Parker.
"I feel really happy to be coming back in May because following my surgery, I was unsure of when I'd be coming back," said Canelo, who underwent surgery on his left hand at the end of last year.
"Returning to the ring and coming back to fight in Jalisco, where I'm from, makes me especially happy. And in John Ryder, I'm facing a very competitive fighter."
"There's no denying that Canelo is one of the greats and I've got a lot of respect for what he's achieved in the sport but I fully believe this is my time fulfil my dream of becoming a world champion," said Ryder.
